Africa-Press – Lesotho. The National University of Lesotho (NUL) together with Metropolitan Lesotho launched the NUL- Metropolitan Research Chair in Pension Law Studies which was
established in November 2020 as a partnership between NUL and Metropolitan to promote scholarship that is relevant to the pension and insurance industry in
Lesotho. Metropolitan has sponsored the setting up and running of an academic programme called “Certificate in Pension Law Studies” to be offered by NUL starting
from the 2021/22 academic year. The programme is in the process of accreditation by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). NUL Vice Chancellor Professor Kananelo Mosito explained that the research chair is
a way of attracting a competent faculty to join universities in the interest of research, promoting research and in the interest of helping them to elevate
their international visibility as an institution. He said one of the most important functions of the university is to educate and to broaden the horizons
of those who come into contact with the university and that is a massive assignment. “This means that the university cannot afford and cannot be in a position to
singularly discharge that kind of assignment. We need partnership to do this assignment and Metropolitan has always been with this university,” he said.
Mosito further said this moment symbolizes the need for them to invite the entire commercial world to come forward and join hands with the university.
He said they appeal to various commercial giants in the country to come forward with suggestions, with innovations around a concept of a research chair.
NUL Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Beatrice Ekanjume-llongo said as the university, it is their responsibility to make sure that they educate the nation.
She said a research chair gives them that opportunity to improve and increase their research output and be able to use the results to better the nation.
She further said the research chair in the faculty of law at NUL is very important because it is going to give them many opportunities to do exactly what is
expected of them as they will be able to expand their scientific knowledge in terms of research, innovation and be able to capacitate the nation. “We will be
able to improve on the country research output as a whole and therefore put a country at a level where it can be competitive with other countries’ innovation
and research,” she said. Ekanjume-llongo further said they will ensure that with research chair, they advance scholarship in the area in which the research chair is established.
She indicated that the Metropolitan research chair is established in pension law studies so as an institution, they will be able to advance scholarship in that
area which is relevant to the nation. She said they will also be able to use this research chair to develop more programs, post graduate programs in particular
and even short learning programs and courses which will help people to improve on their skills and empower them. Metropolitan Lesotho Managing Director (MD) Mamello Phomane said it has always been
important for them as a company to take a lead in influencing the narrative in all matters of insurance. Phomane further said they have been administering the
time and funds for a very long time without the benefit of legislation governing how they do it. She said they understand the importance of having the right
regulatory environment in which to operate and they also understand how important it is to have a relevant and up to date content, knowledge, expertise
and skills in the fields within which they operate so that they can deliver the best services for Basotho. “When we were approached by the university, we took some time to consider what this would mean not only for Metropolitan
and the University, but for the wider insurance and the time to fund community,” she said. Phomane noted that there are many challenges that exist within the environment which
can be addressed through the establishment of this research chair. “I hope the chair will also lead and facilitate many discussions and debates that will help the industry to grow and to become strong enough to influence the growth of the country’s economy,” she added.
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